Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, January 11, 1874, Page 9

THE CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE: SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 1874 FLORENCE. The Athens of Italy---Our Con- sul-General, gard’s Studio---The Monastery of La €Certosa, i ke Bobili Gardens, and Halian Land- scape-Gardening, The Protestant Graveyard. special Correspondence ¢ The Chicago Tribune. Fronexor, Nov. 25, 1873 Perbaps there i no dty in the, world, of its gize, which is 5o greal s treasure-house of art as Florence. It measures its galleries of pictures end ststuary by the mic, and many of both are vorld-renowned, and dmost universally regarded 55 tho highest achievenents of humun skill and genius. Iuis called ‘“THE ATIENS OF ITALY ;7 jts bhistory Lias been sventful and brillian and been prekific. In at it numbers, among others, eod srme cf them scarcely less distinguished, the great numes of Donatello, Leouardi da Vinei, Michsel Angelo, s3d Raphael ; in letters, Alfieri, | Dente, Macchiavelli, Galileo, Petrarch,s Boceso- | cio, tod many otiers. Here was the home of | Eavonsrols the Floquent,—an enthusiast, a re- former, a patrior, sud & martyr. Here was the geat of the Medci family, one of the most re- | _ marisble in hiitory, and whose career furnishes some of its brightest as syoll asits darkest pages. The city bas no commerce, no port, Do DAY~ gpble river. {t has no manufactures excent in mcsaics. nolss copying the * old masters ¥ may becslled amanufacture; still, it seems pros- perous, and 1 judgo its prosperity is largely at- tributableto the jreat number cf visitors, es- “pecially’ trom Great Britain and the United Biates, who seek health and pleasures in its slubriors climate. Tho lovers and etudents of art from all the world flock to the banks of the Armo. Florencs is & placo artists love; and many American artists, atiracted by the climate, the cheap liviug, its beauty, and its art-treasures, savemade it their fiome. Our country is very fortunate in its chiel sepresentatives in Italy, Afr. Marsh, our Min- #tar, who owns & ¥illa biere, and resides in it a eonsiderable portion of the year, is known thronghiout the world as o echolar anda dis- tivguished wriler. The Consul-General of the United S:ates in Italy, JAMES LORIMER GRANAY, J., resides liere, in the Palace Orsini and ecter- tains with & generous aud refined hospitality no- where surcacsed. He has a very large fortune, much coltme and taste, aud, having been in Tuiy several years, he speaks the languago well. Eis immenso establishment is a treasure-house of rarq books, pictures, ana literary curiosities. Hebaa perbaps one of tho largest, if not the lirgest, collection of autographs and portraits iz the world. He bies several bound volumes of original lotters of Washington and Frauklin; 1ud his collection of portraits 02 Napoleon, I am told, ia the largest which exists. With adequate meaus at command, his agents in London, Pans, end New York Lave been adding to his collee- tions until they are very rich indeed. His.book of “Good Fellows” contains an sutograph poem, or brief memorial sketch, from a very large number of contemporary suthors and lit- erary mer of Europe and Americs, and pen- snd‘ink: or pencul sketches of many distinguish- edartists. I moy, I hopo without indelicacy, gay he is himeelf ‘‘ibe Prince of Good Fellows,” snd few thay have crossed his threshold but will remember him 25 3 most generous and genial host, &nd bis house as the seat of tdste, culture, and refine- ent. Lonching with Mr. Graham, a few days Bgo, We were furnished with the delicious sweet corn of America,—his being the only table a¢ whichI bave met thia dishin Euarope; but, when the servint, in reply to the commsand, “ Bring in the Virginia potatoes,” brought in steaming-hot, fino golden sweet-potatoes, wo mere delighted as well as surprised. * This,” s3id a Virginia gentleman at my side, raising his potato on his fork, # This carries me back to Ole Virginia's shore,” BART'S STUDIO. A few days ago I visited the studio of Hart the sculptor. Heis a native of Kentucky, and schieved distinction many years ago by a very life-like statue of Henry Clay. In his studio sre busts of Crittenden, Jackson, Calhoun, Wickliffe, and many distinguished Amer- fcans of the past generation. Ho has & Yemua in clay, on which he bas been st work for ten years! Some artists say it ik not a8 good s it was five years ago. It is exceedingly beuutiful, and it would be ad to think that tbe ariist, in his enthusiastic desire to sttain perfection, bad wasted five years. trust it may soon be produced in some enduring material. Ho isa geninl, pleasant gentleman of the old achool, and full of anecdotes of Clay, Jackson, Callioun, snd Crittenden. LA CERTOSA. Availing ourselves, a fow days ago, of a bright Bacdey morning. we drove to tho Alonastery of Ls Certoss. Crossing the Arno, and passing out of the city by the Porta de oms, we folloss- ed the fine road that lesds towards Rome, aod, elimbing one of the picturesque hills which sur- round the city, we found new beautyin the Jand- acape at every etep. The ificlds were covered with the vine sud the olive; old picturesque convents, churches, aud villas crowned each hill. Approaching s higher eminence, the monastery, Liko an old fortroes. 5tood before us on the sum- iit. Iris very spacions and venerable, having been founded in the thirteenth century. There 4&ro & great many chapels, several courts, an im- mense pumber of pictures ; and the whols illus- tratea the enormous wealth which was formerly \avished upon these establishments. As we approached, the sweet-toned bells were ounding their solemn chimes ; and. entering, ® young prieat, dressed in white flannel, con- Gucted us through the monastery. The chapels Were vory rich in marbles and precious stones. Many of the floors were laid in moeaic ; obe, 1 Temember, was of porphyry, jasper, and verd- :nuque. . Each monk has s fittle dotached hmme, with two small rooms, opening upon & ttle garden of fruit, flowers, and vogetubles, which he cultivates with his own hands. They weara similor dress, of white flaanel ; have RO covering upon the head, sud the head is 8hom very close, There are only fourteen monks Femaining.—they alone occupying s structure @ enough to accommodate everal hundred. ar conductor was the youngest of the band; 80d we were told that the order bad been sup- preseed in Italy, and these wero permitted to “"-:::: ut‘“énb'vothEir death, the order I\\'onlg e extin ur guide wus very gentle. ant seemed more like sn smiable, good-natured ?M. or a hsrmless junocent, than s map. Thers was s wesk, subdued cxpression in his 320,~no animation, no emergy, no will. We Tere told the discipline was very strick. ]?ne of the ladies asked him, “Are you “APPY here ™ 1 came bere,” sud e in reply, 10 prepare to .die." His tone and mauner ers rubdned and ead, and we saw no indication O the zeal end the cheerful hope of the Chrig~ n, After passing turough many chapels, courts, snd cloisters, and after being shown the Fooms occapied by the Pope for sonte time dur- ieg the cateer of the First Napoleon, the monk :Qndn::ed 15 L0 a room called the Pharmacy, mflm medicines are propsred and distributed to m“ Poor. Aund here we were offerad a liquor “pated by theso monks, called *Clartreuse.” =138 gwect, transparent sirap, of considerable Jirit, and flavored with absigthe. I_inguired ;;{'he monk if the brotherhood drank it. “** No. E?-. replied he; **our food is so scant, and O elomachs s weak, it would make us ill.” tiog 120 %0 100k leave, the monk asked permis- fomio shalie haods with the lIndies, and, blees- E.s“fm said: - Adieu, until we meet in Para- Haeat He seemed sorrowful and innocent, and 28 8 favorable specimen of the monks. Gen- Iy those you meet in the sireets are grosa, $nmallooking men ; they live lives of idlenees, 34, looking at them, one caznot condemn tho Borts the Government is making to suppress s monzstaries, and divert the varions brother- 22d8 into lives of sctivity and neefulness. BOBILI GARDENS ASD ITALIAN LANDSCAPE~ . L GARDENING. bara istaly bein to visit, for the fonsth Lims, i . ! the shapo of peacock irds: B i oo 16 oty anl fosn of vedlas; 1 bes | pe of peacocks and otber birds: and {the ‘midst of it oll, one wiskes for the magnificent landscapes of England, where the consiaut effort i8 to couccal the gardene connected with the Ditti Pala called tha Bobili Gardena, - Thes - Faioee, terraces, alatues, fountains, avenues of lurol and box, interspered with grass-plots, with some fine vistas opening to_beautiful views of | the City of Floreuce, the Valley of fho Arno and tho distant hills and mountains, The principal trees ave the yew, the cedar, the lnudxcl_, pme&, l!);lm, ?livu; Wwith many shrubs aud vines, the laurustinue, and the English un Al,'i,ific“‘:rid‘?'- y and the English and is garden, the Borromenn gardens, on Lake Maggoire, tud, indeod, all of the s Tral gaidens I have seen, nre very artiticinl. There aro terraces, clippod trees, walks, and avenues shité in by box or laurcl ; surprists, labyrinths, statnes, “and grotesque fountaivs,—ail very pretty. but with uo Lreadth ; all lack the dignity, the simplicits, the naturalness, of moders Lpglieh lsndscape-gardening. = In ltalian ghrdening water i8 mpver sufTerod to flow” maturally; Lut it s slways thiown into jets and spray It s never pormizted to dash along ever natural rocks, or ripple over pebbies, or glide along a uatural bauk of grasa ; but it is always tortured out of its natural course into artificial ponds, into urns or basins; orit is madeto emerge from ttio mouthor nose of rome grotesque animal, some mermaid or nympb, the Like of which never visited the earth or sea, ' Natural grass-plofs, inter- epersed with fine, unchipt trecs, are not tolerat- ed ; but the turt must bo cut into some geomet- ric shape, with o border of box as high as your head 2nd ss thick 23 a castlo-wall. Thero must Dbozll korts of geometrical figures of flowors ; and, in front, a palisade of tall yew-trees, stand- ing like sentinele. Evorgreons aro clipped into flower-beds are made to resemble tho figures of o carpet. All is obviously artificial. It is very protty and pleasing—to children;-but, in aort, and only aid Neture to give us her best. In the midsf of these a-tificial pretiinesses, how re- freshicg if one could be translated to ouo of our American landecapes iu the glory of its antumo- foliage, with our own uncqualed trees nud foliage, and shrubs and vines, where they have been encoursged to grow in all their wild lux- urisnce; combining tho noblest forms. in our elmy, and oaks, sud s, and hemlocks, with the most brilliant and gorgeous colors. in our sugar-maple, our birch, our sumach, our lindaa ; and our wild vaucs, with all their wealth of color | and of foliage; but it must be zdded that we ! haye no old ruins, no ivy-covered abboys, no old Yal:\ccn and roined cathedrals. The modern taliaus, however, are cominyg back to the nai- | ural style; and. in the magnificent Lonlevard which the Florentines sre completing around | their city, and in tke drive to San Jinedto, they | Iave sdopted o atural style, and the result iu all that could Le desired. THE TROTESTANT GEAVESYARD AT FLORENCE. Batarday, Nov. 23, 1 visited the Protestant grave-yard here. Thé ground is a greeu hill within the old gray walls of this ancient city, the sumnut of which i8 crowned with a white marble column, with s simple cross on the Lop, erccted by the Emperor of Germauy. 1 sought first tho grave of M. Browning. Her monument is s simple sarcophagas of white marble, standing ou six marble columns, and bears no inscrip!icn oxcept the letters **E. B, B, 0Ob., 1861," Lmblems of poetrs and music— barps and Isres—were cut in relief in the marblo, —no more,—bot the birds wero singing very sweetly on the branches above ithe green grass of the grave. Very near rest tho remains of | Faony Waugh Hunt, wife of Holmsn Ilunt, the distinguisbed Euglih artivt. She died Leie in tue first year of Ler marringe. On the marble above her remains aro inscribed tho words : hen thou pseseth through the waters, I will bo with thee ; and throngh the foods, they ghll not over- throw thee. Be not afraud, 7 ‘Love 18 atronger thun death. Meay waters cannot quench love, neither can the loods drown jt. Here repose tle dust of many known to fame in America and i Englaud. Among them, be- sides Mrs. Browning, are Walter Suvage Lan- dor, and 3Ire. Troliope ; aud among the most distinguished of tho Amcricans, Theodore Par- kerand Hiram Powers. How many from far- off foreign lands, who have sought health and prolongad life Lere in the mild climate of Italy, repose beneath the greou turf, still bright and verdant at this late autumnal day! Bngland and Scotland, Norway oud Fraace, and nemly every country in Europe, as well as all our older American States, snd seversl of the younger ones, bave their representatives here. The roses are to-dey blooming lusurisntly end sweet- | Iy above them. Kind aud alectiouate hands carefuily tend the flower2 whiclr blossom around them, and they doubiless rest as quiotly 18 this far-off ground as if they lay mde by side with their own kindred, along the banks of the Clyde nnd the Avon, or in the quiet valleys of New England, or within sound of the brask- ing waves of Lake Michigan. - The ground is pleasantly planted with the yew, the Gedar, the fir. tbe lanrel, and tho ivy ; and it seemed to me that nowhere elso in this land of flowers did the roses bloom quite so brgatly, and nowhere else have Ileard tue birds sing quite 50 sweetly, as here. , It seemed to me that the monuments and epitaphs wera in excoptionally good caste. There iu little attempt to continue the brief distinct- ness of this life by ostentatious memorials ; on the cortrary, they are simple, and the 1nscrip- tions brief. It is & quiet graveyard,and its charm consists in the lovely flowers and fine trees and foliage ; and the idea of death convey- ed by it seems that of rest and repose ; ang the frequent toxt from the Bible points the mourner and the stranger with & tender hopo and a firm faith to the Heaven where the-good Father of all will gather His children bome, wherevor their bodies may sleep, and Lhowever widely they may have ‘been acattered or eeparated. * . N. Napoleon EBonaparte and Mmec. De stael. From their first introduction, Mme. Do Stael never liked Bonaparte. He inspired her withan mstinctive dresd—n fecling which was not unique in her. Beng an earnest lover of trus liberty, she early divined his ambitions projects, and foresaw the despotism that he was working to erect, “That which characterizes Bona- parto's Government,” she says, **is o proiound ‘contempt for all the intellectual riches of hu- man nature, virtue, dignity of soul, religion, enthusiasm. He wounld desire to reduco man to mere force and cunning, sad to designate every- thing elne as_mere folly aud silliness. The Euglish frritate him above all bocause they hsve found the mesus of combin- ing euccess with honesty: a combination which Napoleni would have us coneider tb be impossi- ble.” The dislike was reciprocal. *Sbe pre- tends to speak neither of me mor of palitics,” sud Napoleon ; **yet I do not know bow it hap- pens, but people love me leas who havo been with her. Sho gives them funciful notions and of the opposite kind to mine.” At another timo he weid, **Mme. De Stael hay shelts that would Dit o man wore ho sested upon a reinbow.” In the year 1800 be ectablished himself in the Tail- eries, where he held a sovereign cowrt, which m gorgeousness would not have shamed the ancien requme. In that same vear, French socicly, though still mixed with base alloy, had resumed much of its old brilliauce, and gatliered as usual eround different nucli. Sme. Kecamierwasthen in all the delicate flowor of her youth and exqui- site grace; hlme. Do Visconti in all the bloseom of her majestic boauty ; 2lme. Josophine Bona~ arte gave eplendid reunious, and the Princees e Poix small and exciusive parties. In such saloms gatherod whatever of Lesuty, wit, and birth the guillotine had spared. But most notzble and most brilliant of all these gatherings were those of 3me. De Stac!, whose genius and celebrity attracted the finest intellcets of all pations. Prilliaut as are her works, lor con- vereation is eaid to have been infinitely more go. “Youfind thet she writes well; hear her talk, and you will find that she writes badly,” £aid & contemporary. Bhe lives above all by conversation and in conversation; it wa3 in that her gonius was most thoroughly sroused, and was most thoroughly original. * It was in that, ays Saint-Denve, “ that she instructed, and, s it were, reowed herself unceasingly, rather than by prolonged wmeditation. Con- versation was her insviration and her muso.” The night before Bonjamin Constant, her most intimate friend, made his speech in tho Assem- bly agsinst the growing power of the Firsy Consul, he drew her sside. **If I make this speech,” he £aid, ‘ to-morrow night, your draw- inn-room will be deserted.” *“I Loow it. Bat you must do what is right,” she avewcred in- trepidly. Thoir prognosticstions were corroct. A party had been nrranged for that night; by 5 o'clock she had reczived letters of excuse from every person invited, ot one of whom came. What conld more eloguently describe toe glevish adulation of the Purisians to their Moloch? But Fouche waited upon her and told ber plaiuly that Napoleon suspscted herof having composed ibat, speech. A short time afterward sho was commanded to quit Paris aud not to reside witi- i forty leagues of it. In vain did Joseph Bona- parte, whom sho frequently vieited, and with whom she passed the lest few days of ber Parisian residencs, interceds for ber. ~ The Con- sul was immoveble. No greater punisbment could ba mposed upon her than bsuishment from her belovod . Paris, sod within the pre- scribed limits; she wandered from village to vil- lage, her thoughts ever ‘urned to the one spot with the same molancholy longing that Adam might have felt whao looking back on Paradise. | exdac, and il LITERATURE. IMinois, A COMPLETE HISTORY OF ILLINOIS FROM 1673 TO 1873, By ALexanpen DAVIDSON nod DERNARD Sxuve. Bpringfield: Hlindia Jeurnal Compauy, Time enough Lias nob elapsed since this * His- tory of Ilinois ” has beeun puc into our hands for us to read it throngh, or to compare its facts and dates with otber authorities; bat, from a pretty careful examination of the work, we are inclined to believe that it will be found a most valuable contribution to the historicel litera- ture of the West. It certainly contains s vast amount of material,—there. are 944 pages ; and whether the comments of the authors are satie- factory to all resdors or not,—x thing not to be expocted, for it includes the whola of Gov. Palmer's Administration,—the grea! varicty of interesting facts here collected will give the book a standard valuo in all our private and public libraries. The work treats of the State both in its physi: cal and historical aspects. Considezable space is devoted to its geologic caaracteristics, for on thom depend the pursuits and the wealth of its nhabitente. Iis topography, soil, and climate, its rivers, commercial position with refarence to the other States, progress in wealthsnd popula- tion,—ave all properly described, and illustrated by facts sud figures. i 3 Some very interesting chapters are dovoted to tho remains and the history of the races that in- liabited tho State previous to its discovery by tho French. The Mound-Buildets and therr succes- sors, and the Indias tribes that roamed our prairies before and af:er its occupation by white men, their wars with cach osher and with the early sottlers, are all metters of curious ard ab- sorbing interost. Facts that can only be fouad in Jarge Libraries are here carefully collected for tho benofit of the present race of readers, ‘Tiae early voyages of the old Fronch Jesuits, LzSulle, afarquotte, Joliet, and others,—amoug the most romantic and wonderful incidents in the history of America,—nre all gven wilh sulicient detail. This purt of tho book will re- call u gieat varjety of new and valuable informa- tion to most rcaders. The lustory of French s tilements and of Freoch rule in Illinvis iy curious ; but their iniluence has faded out of sigint, aud must be no~ stowed uway among the records of tho past. Tho incidents counected with the chauge from Fiench to Eoglish rulo ; fho terrible wais with | the Indiaus, Jed by Poatiac, whose strength and supplics wero derived mainly from Iunois,—ail furnisi material for most inieresting chaypters. Ther: Clark conquered tho country, and made_ it a depondency of Virgmia. 1hai Siate eoded i illinois and other sections of tho Northwest -to the United States ; aiter which our Territorial bistory follows. Theu we have the organiza- tion of the Territory into a State, in 1818; and full details of the bit- ter contest over tus abolition of slavery,— for it had beon introduced by the French ; and, all (brough the book, the progress of the Stato in wealth, population, education,—ber lawe and political aud social institutions,—are ‘carefully voted. The Black Hawk, the Mormou, and tho Mexican Wars all recervo proper attenfion. No eveuts of ecpecizl value seem to bo omitted, and all are eppropriately treated. ‘Tho political Listory of the State, though con- taived in_ncsttered paragrapls, Wheuover 1e- quired to illustrate other tacts, s carcfully dis- cusscd ueder tho Administration of each of the Govenors in succession. It is ast likeiy, if wa bad bhad time to oxatnine the book ctitically and czrefully, that wo could agres withall the com- meuts of tho auihors. That is not to be expect- ed from any ope. Bus they nfe not polilicians, aud appear to be candid, fair men, with *‘no frionds to reward or _enewmics to punish;" and, 0 far 28 we can_judge, the facts aro all cor- rectly stated, and the coloring they have given them—s0 far as they havo any—will now be very generally approved. I ‘I'he great agitation on the slavery qnestion previous to aud during the joiut debates of Lin- colu and_ Douglas; the oveats that led to the Rebeltion, and the proud vosi- tion won by Iilinois in _the bloody stragele that followed, are all elaborately treated. In fact, we bave a history of which every Ilinoisan may well bo proud. It is writ- tou in plain, forcible_languaze, which all- cag readily understaud. Lach subjéct is so troated as to becomple:e in itself, aud follow each other in natural order. It is unquostionably the mest comprebensive and complete colleotion of facts in regard to our noble Stato that has ever been given to the pablic.” Iilinois now hes & bistorical work that is worthy of herscif. The type and tho puper are both good. It is wholly an Illinois ~ production, having been printed =t the Journal office, in Spnngfield, for the suthors, Aessre. Davidson & Stave. Thoy will send the book to any parg of the State, prepaid, on receipt of $5. Itia well worth the money, and, in foct, for roference fs almost invaluable. South Carolina. THE PROSTRATE STATE: Sovrn Cirormva Us- DeR NEGEO GOVERNMENT, By JAMES S, PISE, late Miuister_of the Usiled States at Tha Hague, New rk: D, Appleton & Co. - The terrible march of Gen. Sherman's hosts through. South Caroling, the burning of her beantiful Capital, and her subjection to the rule of tho plantation-negro, as depicsed in this book of Mr. Pilie, constitute about the most fearfui example of retributive justice that modern times can furnich, There Calhoun and his compeers devoted their lives and their great intellects to preaching seccesion and robellion; there nullification was squelched by the iron will of Gen. Jackson, only to firc_upon the flag and Jead tho rebellion, under Buchanan; and there tlie fruite of that act seem to have ripeued into tho bitterest possible puuislunent upon those who caused it. 3 “The book originated in the attendance of Mr, Pike upon the Bessions of the Legislature of Bouth Carolins, in.February aad March, 1873. By way of prelimicary rematk, he says: The weallli, the intclligence, tho culture, the wis- dom, of the State, huve liroken' through the crust of that social yolcano on which they were cuntentedly re- posing, aud have sunk out of Rigit, consumed by tho sublerranean fires they had with such temerity braved and defied. In place of thie old aristocratic society stands the rude form of the most ignorant democracy that mankind ever saw invested with the functions of government. It is the dregs of the population hubili- tated in the robes of their infelligent predecessors, end asserting over them tha rule of fzuorauce ou corraption, through the izexorzble machinery of o majority of numbers, It js barbarism overshelm. ing civilization by physical force. It is the slave rioting in tho balls of his maater, and puttiog that master nnier his feet. And, though it is done with- out ialice and without vengeauce, it is, novertheless, none the less completely and abeofutely doue. Of the 124 members ol tho House of Repre- soututives, 23 were white Conservatives. Of them he saye: ‘Those are good-lcoking, substantial citizens, They are men of weight aud standing in tho communilie tucy represent. There they sit, erim and silent, They 1101 thier places reluctuntly, Thes feel themsalves to be, in gome sort, martyrs, bound stoically o suifer in behalf of that still great elenient in tho Siale whose prostrato fortunen are becoming tho sport of au un-- pitying fate, Inthis crucisl trial ot bis pride, his manbood, his prejudices, his spirit, it must Lo said_of the Southicrn Bourbon iu the Legislutura that ko cotsm ports himeelf with a dirmity, & reserve, and 3 decorum that command admiration. He feels that the iron hand of Destiny i8 upon him. e is gloomy, discon- solate, hopeless. The gray heads of this gencration profess that they lovks for o relief, -Tiey 800 00 way of escape. Ther are the types of 3 comquercd roce, They mtaked nll, aud Tost all. Their Lives re~ mzln; their propecty and their children do not. War, emsucigation, and grinding taxation have consumed them. Their strugzie now ia_nzaiust complete confis- cation, They endurs and wait for the night. This is surely a #ad picture. Ons cau scarcoly forbear to pity thoe white peopie of South Caro- ling, though in their pride and folly they did bring upon themeelves il the mortitieation and the migsry they are forced to undergo. OF the Temaiuing members, 94 wera colored, and 7 were their white alli urpot-baggers probably. Of the Assembly he says: The bouy is almast litoraiiy 3 Black Parlinment, and 1t is the ouly one on the face of tho earth wiich is the Tepresentstive of s wiite constituency, and tao pro- feased exponent of sn advanced typo of modern civil ization. But tho reader will tind simovt any portrait- ve & vivid idea of the body, without jeizls, The Speaker ds black; Clerk i _ blsck; the Door-keepers = are the little Puges ure block; the Chairman of the Ways epd Afeans Committes i hlack ; and tha Chapiain is coal-black, At soms of the desxs sit colored men Wwhose fypes it would bo hard to fnd outside of Comgo ; whose costume, viseges, attitudes, aud expret- sion only befit the forecastlo of & buccanser, His descripiions of this * Rlack Parlisment " are 50 grapbic that, at the.risk of quoting too much, we add: The nogro is imitative in the extreme, He can copy 1xc a parrot or a monkey, aud be is always seady for 3 trisl of his kill. He belfeves oo can do snyibing, and never loses o ebance o try, 2ad ia just as ready to be langhed ot for his fullure 13~ spplauded for his suc- cess, Ho is more vivacions han tho white, and, be~ ing nore volztile tud good-nstured, he 18 correspond= ingiy irrepressible, His misuse of languags in his imitations “ix st times lndicrous beyond measure. He notoriously loves & joke or an anecdote, sad will burst into » broad gufaw on the smatleet provocstion. He breaka out into =n incoberent Larengue op the fioor Just as cosily, and will go on repeating himself, dunc~ ing na it wers to the musio of his own voice, for- ever. But the old-stagers admit that the colored brethren. have a wonderful aptness at legislative procesdings. Th “quick as lightutng ” at debating poiats of o 'ihd ey cettaldly Iuals incetaant asd sairaae the dinary use of their knowledge. No one is allowed to | talk five minutes witl:oat interruption, and one inter- | ruption isthe signal far auother and another, until the origiual speaker 1s smothered under an avalancie of them,, Forty questions of privilege wiil be ratsed ina day. “'At times nothing goes on but aliernating ques- tfons of order and priviicge, Their strugsles to get the floor, their bellowings and pbysical centortions, baflle description. But, undernesth all this shocking burlesque upon 1egislative procecdinge, we, must not forget that there is something very real to this uncouth and untutored multitude, It is not all shem and all burlesque, They have & genuine interest and a genu- ine “earnestness in the business of the Assem- bis, which we are bound fo 2e and re- snoct, unless we would be accounted shallow critica, The barbarouy, animated jargon in which they so of- {ien Indulge, 14 on occasion seen to be so transvarently sincere snd weighty in theirown minds that s3mpathy supplunts dicgust.” z Tho picture which the suthor gives o the finances of ihe Stato is suflicicntly ssd. Her condition is about hopeless. Ropudiation, and then an honost, intelligent system of legisla~ tion, ecem to'be the only way ont of her present troubles. Sooner or Iater both must come, at lcadt we s08 no other way for her escape. Mr. Piko quozes largely from public documents, and tho villainy aud absolute stealing by those in autbority aro stupendous, As South Carolina ‘was firsc and grealest in the Rebellion. g0 her upislment bay bacn swift and appalling. Poor Eon!h Carolina! "While History must proclaim 1t just, still wo pity her. Efihu Burritt, TEN-MINUTE TALKS ON ALL SORTS OF TOPICS. By iinro Buazr, With an Autoblography of the Aufiior. Bosten: Lee & Shopard, Chicago: Jan- sen, McClurg & Co. Twenly years ago tho name of Elihu Burritt was constantly before the public, His carly life had been so remarkable,—he hgving scquired, while working at the auvil. & knowledge of more lsngnages, probably, than any other living man, —that his examplo was constantly held up to young men a8 worlhy of their emulation. Add o it was ond is. His vast knowledge of the languagés, Iving and dead, brought him promi- nenily before the public; and, supplemented a8 1t was by his strong, active, and effevtive eup- port of the leading beuevelent movements of the day, he respectively commanded the admira- tion, aud had heaped upon him tue bittor denun- ciations, of the two great parties into which the nation was divided. In the end, the priociples of Elhu Burritt triumphed ; but, for saveral years past, Lo ecems to bave preferred the quict hio bad earned, and the cordial esteem of the wise and the gead, to keeping himself before the publie, Having now paseed his three-score years—whose life was ever more actively or bet- ter employ. d A—le gives us an autobiography as if written by & thivd person, but with character- issic modesty, lest, as he eays, whben beis uo more, somo one might be disposed to publish unwarrented exngrerations sbout him, and with thie hopo that the facts, ay thoy really are, might stimulate young men carefully to cultivace the nobler promptings and faculties of their minds. No better oxample has over been given of whnt unbending ivaustrs can do for & young man than that of Elilu Burritt. To the biography is added s large collection of interestiug papers,—somo of them new, but moet of them heretofore published, princi- jally in Eugland, where the sathor resided for soveral years. Theso pupers abound with incidents and stories, all told 1n the beauti- fal language and claseic stylo for which the writings of Mr, Bucritt have ever been distin- uished, Some of these facts may have been forgotten, if ever known to our iatelligent read- ery. For instance, who knows that, while in the strength of Lis monhood, & cloud came over the mind of Washington Irving, which threatened for a time the wost disastrous counsequeuces ? Ho was then in England, and was taken by his | brother-in-law, Henry Van Wart, to his home iu Birmiogham, where, after tho most tender care, Irving's mnd resumed its former power by & mutual recalling of the curious and quaint Lo~ babitnuts of Stecpy Hollow, their ludicrous his- tory and babits, where, as boys, Irviog and Van Wart spent many Lappy dave together. The 6 1esult of the return of his faculiies wasthe wriiing of nearly the whole of * Rip Van Win- Klo” in a single night. A brilliant career fol- lowed the birth of “Rip” in Birmingham,—a Iife that will Live as long ae the English Ianguage. But who supposed it was written st Birmingham, and ot in the quiet shades of Irvington, of .umxid tt’:e crags of the Catskills, where the scene i Jaid ? Ali Mr. Barritt's short papers contain maiters of eimilar interest; while those on netiounal and international questions will furnish the states- mi.2 with motives for broad and liberal action and effort, We cordially commend the book to the attention of all our readers. Art-Culture, A HAND-BOOK OF ART-TECHNICALITIES AND CRITICISMS, SELECTED FROM THE WORES OF JonN RUSKIN, AND ABRANGED AND SUPPLEMENT- ED uY THE REv, W. IL PLATT, FOR THE UsE OF Ecmoors AND CoLLEeEa, New York: John Wiley & Sons. Mr. Platt has done sn sccepfable service in making selections from the ponderous works and loctures of Ruskin, and giving us the essence of them in more convenient form. For a right understunding of art-matters, the principles that render them pleasing, and olaborate criticism of the .works of the old masters, the writings of Ruskin bave lung held aleading placs in English literature. The work before us is specially recommended to young artists, for it will give them broad and liberal views of the profession they have chosen; and may, perchance, teach them that success 1n it requires 50 much carefnl stud such con— stant aund consuming toil, such _delicate and diecriminating natural gifts, that it will be best for them not to spoil 8 good merchant or mechauic in abortive efforts to make a success- fnlartist. To thoes who wish to adoru their Tomes with really good pictures, or who desire 10 be adle to forin corract opinions in regard to paintings, the book will bo found most conven- ient and veluable. Ruskin hes long been con- sidored the standard authority in srt-matters, The Coming Refigion, THE RISING FAITH. By C. A. Bazror. Boston: Roberts Brothers, The book bofor= us is fall of bright thoughts, and sliarp, epigrammatic phrases, embracing ell sorts of references to religions, and al- most mll other subjects; and one rises from reading it ecarcely knowing whether most to admire or condemn it. Its teachings are decidedly radical, and, most of our sober, religious readers would say, reckless aud unsound. Thereis certainly no preterte to logic about it, or any clear and definite state- ment of what the * Rising Faith " is to be, or why it is any grest improvemest on onr presont forms of roligions worship. The author seems more inclived to dircet his shafis against ex- 1sting abnses and absurdities than to' give his readers any earefully-considered directions as to how they can be remedied. While, therefore, the book may stimulato thought, no permanent valae can be claimed for its teachings, . Robert Dale Owen. , THREADING MY WAY. By RosEsr DALE OwkN. | New Yori W, Gazleton & Co. a This work is an sutobiography of Mr. Owen for the first twenty-seven years of his life ; af- ter which he emigrated to this country. It is miaute, and full of thescarly incidents of his life, conrtship, and all that,—almost to surfeit, —much of whicha judicious biographer would Liava owitted ; but his story is told with so much simplicity and sincerity that one is mora disposed to =pprove than to censure. The mi- nucencss with which such incidents shoald be told is 2 mere matter of taste, about which it is scarcely wise to dispate. The book gives us the inuer carly Life of one who_ has cecupied a largo. #pace in the.public eye. and it will be_resd with great intarest by the large circle of Mr. Owen's edmirors. Educution. THE LIBERAL EDGCATION OF THE NINE- TEENTH CENTCRY. By Prof. W.P. ATEIusoN, of the Masezchureits Insiftute of Technology, New York: D. Appleton & Co, Thie lectura of Prof. Atkinson is an able pro- test against making classical studies an essential elemeut of a liboral education. The study of the English language and iss literature, ho con- tends, is of fur more value to the American “student, if tho one or the other must be negloct- ed. The sciences, be also claims, are entitled to equal consideration in a course of liberal train- ing. and have far more value a3 a mesns of suc- cess avd neeliiness in life That the American public are_gradually coming to this conclusion, no one will venture to doubt. : ETIp to Alaska, THE QUIDDITIES OF & TRIP TQ ALASEA. By W. H. Berz. Portland, Oregon: G. A, Steel & Co, Chicago : Jazsen, MecClurg & Co. -This book, whether it ever saw Oregon or not, is full of quiddities, suze enough. An irrepressi- ble ** Major” staris from New York to Alaska, and his sdventures by land and ses are told in able oxperiences. A children, and_even ok enjoy iz hugols. good book to smuso the er pooplo will be apt to The Alzerines. ARTISTS AND ARABS; o, BEETCHING IN STs- aEove. By Haxny Bricxnusy., Win Numerous liustrations, Boston: James B. O:good & Co This is & beautiful liitle book, uniform with the suthor's * Normaudy Picturoague,” * Art in the Mountaing,” sand others. The writer starts from Mareeilles, and, after a short voyage, lauds at Algiors. The town is plessantly skelehed, with its varied inhabilants, and their costumes, manners, and customs, anda thoneand and ono things which wonls strike agreably or otherwize the eyc of a keen observer. The book is_an exceedingly plessant ons, and full of valusble information. For the Children. WHAT RATY DID AT SCHOOL. By Busax CooL- Gz, Boston: Roberts Brotners. B This bright, interesting book ought to have been noticed before the holidays ; but it will be nono the less welcome to the children now. The anthor, Miss Woolser,—** Susan Coolidge” is her nom de plume,—hes achieved an enviable posi- tion among the writers of, delightful books for chiidren. The publishers bave given the book to the public in beautifal style. It will be :nmd & most welcome present for the little olks. Cooper. THE TWO ADMIRALS: A Tarr. Dy J, Fexr- 30BE CoorkR, New York: D, Appleton & Co. This is one of the great American novelist's best-known sea-tales,—beautifally printed and fively illustrated. It will form a part of Apple- tons’ new codition of Cooper's works. Thig is 1ssued in chesp binding for the general reader. Another IRook for the Children. RIBBON STORIES. By Lady Baxgs, Dlustrated. London and New York: Mscifllan & Co. Chicago: Jansen, McClurg & Co. This little book contains eight charining stories. It will be found s mosi acceptable present for tho children. < Looks Keceived. The following books, received from Jansen, MoClurg & Co., are on oar table for notice here- after: . THE WORLD TO BLAME: A Nover. By WALDORF A, Pucuies, Phideiphia: Claston, Remsen & Haffelfinger. BIANCA OAPELLO: A Traoepr. By ELrzaners C. Kxxsex, New Yors: Hurd & Houguton. VIOLET LEE, AND OTHER POEMS, By Mus, 8. L. Onsnmauzzen. Philadelpia: J. E. Lippincot & o. : LYNDE WEISS: AN ACTOROGEAPHY. By GEORGE 1. Tuzoor. Philadelphia: Claxwon, Bemsen & Haffelfinger. THE OUTLAW'S DAUGHTER; OR, ADVENIUEES I¥ THs Soutm. Dy Eurssox’ Brisurr, Philadel phia: Claxton, Remsen & Haffeltinger, QUEEE FOLK : oR. QUEEn Sramres, By the Right Hon. Z. H, KNatcasck-HugsseN, M, P. (Pheebus ; what 3 name 1), Ilustrated by 6. G, WALLER. Lont dou and New York : Mac3lillin & Co, ‘WONTUS ; or, Tix Cones or ODSERVATION. By Col. \\'lL!iu.‘-x AL RUNRLE. Philadelphia: J, B. Lippin- cott & Co. ¥ LADY GREEN-SATIN AND HER MAID ROSETTE ; on, Tue HISTORY OF JEAN PAUL AND M1s Lirrit Wies Moz, Translated from tue Freuch by the Baroness E. MARTINEAU DES Cmesvzz, Philadel- This: Porter & Coutes, Periodicals Received. Our Monthly for December, Alfred Martien, Philudelphia. - Penn Afonthly for January. Penn Monthly Association, Philadelphia. Ilinois Schoolmaster for January. Aaron Govo aud Edwin C. Howett, Normal, [l National Sunday-School Teacher for January. .C\g_ms, Blackmer & Lyon Publshing Company, icago. Wood's Household Magazine for January. S. E. Shates, New York City, aud Newburgh, N. Y. American Bookseller's Guide for January. Ameriean Nows Company, New York. Chicago Tcacher for January. Jeremiah Ma- Lony, Chicago. Youny Folks' Journal for January. Lukens Sisters, Brinton, Pa. American Artisanfor January. Burr & Allen, New York. Literary Notes. . Mrs. Cowden Clariie contributes to the Gentle- man's Magazine some unpublished letters of Chazles Lamb, whica are deflightful. Mr. E. Steizer’s new work on the periodicals of the Gnited States of America is pearly ready for publication. A copy of Lord Lytton’s drama entitled *Crowwell,” of which only four copies were printed for the suthor, ,to use 1n altering and ameunding, brought £11 st s recent London auction. ‘The Rev. S. J. Prime's Life of Prof. Samuel T. B. Morse will shortly be pubhshed by D. Appleton & Co, Walter Scott’s movels are now sold at three- pence apiece in London, and the desiers sy that Lis books are rcad now only by the hum- blest class of busers. 1f any of our readers are disposed o think that onr Eucsclopedias are too large, it may console ttem to know that tho National Eucy- clopedis of China consisis of one hundred and sixty thonsand volumes | A copy of “ Mull's Autobiography, by himself.” bas beeu ordered by a country customer of Meury Holt & Co,—New York Mail. Dr. Schlicmnann's great work on Troy will be publisked in = few days, Itis of large octave size, and will bave, besides the text, «n atlas containing over 200 paotographs. 0'Douovan Rosss has published s large vol- ume of 440 pages, his Prison Life, giving a graphic account of **Six Yoars in Six English Prisone.” Prof. Jumes Helfenstein’s * Comparative Grammar of the ‘Teutonic Languages” is just out o London, and i the best historical grum- mar of the Englsh, Gothic, Anglo-Saxon, Ice- landic, Danish, Swedish, German, Oid Saxon, sud Datch tongues. IS is stated that Alr. Plimsoll, the author of the successful little book for English seamen, is about to assume the editorship of s nautical magazine in which he hes boughit a large inter- est, for the purpose of pushing on the work on behalf of seamen, 80 uobly begun. TElihu Burritt, the noted linguist, who Lios re- cently publiaked, throogh Loo & Shépzrd, * Ten- Mintite Talks on All Sorts of Subjects,” is en- =uzed upon a work entitled * Social Walks and Talks with Young Students Among the Lan- guages.” 1t appeais from a recept Parliamentary return that the only conntries wuich impose a duty on books importedinto them are Spain, Switzeriand, Turkey, and the United States. It must be ad- ‘mitted that the model Republic is in rather poor company in its taxes upou kuowledge. The last book of the voluminous Miss C. 2M. Yonge is & life of Bishop Patieson, of tho Melau- esian Islands, in two volumes. The Bishop had s vouths’ collegeanda littlo rchooner in the Pacific, with headquarters at New Caledonis, whence he sailed about from island to island, in- tont on religious and educational work, until he was murdered by the delectablo eavages. Frowde & Co. huve recently issued from their “*London DBible Werehouse " &n edition of the Bible, which differs from all provions editions in having a broad margin for the puipo-o of insert~ ing monuseript notes. It is printed on paper epecially prepared to be written on with ordi- mary pen and ink. 3 A Southern aditer announces his intention of securing a hall, if one of safficicut dimensions can be found, for the purpose of holdiug & con- vention of the anthors of * Bezntiful Suow.” ‘The London Saturday Reniets does not appre- Lond that any of Mr. Whittier's poems will sur- vive the memory of thoge who are nowliving. It says that Whittier has n great flueucy in wiiting verses which ara the trinmph of respectable and succassfnl medioerity. It ratea the Quaker bard 8 far inferior to Lovwell. and gaya there is more poetry in any three lines of 3r. Browning than in any 200 pages of Mr. Whittier. Tik excellent and most interesting secount of Jow a Cyclopcain Is Made.” Inrnished to i TrEr Ciicsbo InmoNe by a New York corre- | spondect over the signature of * Kidder,” has oon reprinted by the Appletons in tho Journal, and is also to be'uzed as a circalar for the re- vised Cyclopedia which it describes. It was written by 3fr, A. K. Fiske, lately of the Fren- ing Mail. and one of the revisers of the Cyclo- edis, snd now of the Boston Flobe.—New arl:Ezmi:g ail. The pew edition of “ Literature and Dogma,” which Mr. Matthew Armoid is proparing, will contain & preface in which he will review the objections brouzht agaiust the book. There is tobaalso a library edition of Mr. Arnold's “Biblo Reading for Schools " (Isaiah, chapters zl-Ixvi). ‘This will contain eight or nine_ctiap- tera scattered through the first part of Isciah, which Mr. Arnold thinks reslly belong to the fiezl eeries of chapters. A fierce contest is raging in Eoglish literary cireley over what wonld seem to be & very smi motter. In prepanng an ipscription for the marble bust of the Princess of iiohanloLe, the Dean of Westminster made uee of the Laiin expression, ** Coram sepulchro,” noar to. or te- side the sepulchre, which was at once attacked on the ground that “ coram ” could only be nsod with 3 noun depoting a pereon and not & thing, sixty-ons short parsgraphs, opposite as masny englvings,-—;u R iBe. the" massiy .| Major enocunter 8 grest viriety of very laughe as *‘coram judice,” etc. At last_accounts the weight of sathoritice were on the Deau’s side. Facjoon, tha wall-known writer of Clurists L mas storids, isa Jew. The Jawish Messenger sees nothing perticular snomalous in this, 517~ ing: “The most popular Christmas stary-writer in Fogland is = Jew. True, the occasion is the birthdsy of & Jew whom the Christian world deifies, but this is no reason for elf-congratifa- tion, for if therehas becu the deification of aJew thera has also beea the bitterest persecution of the creed to whose obsarvanco ha was so strici s conformist. Thst Mr. Farjeon has contrived to acguire his present position indicates bow prejudico is dissipated by kmowledge. Tho prejudice, perhaps. has keon on both sides. It docs not Tender a Jei to-day less Jowish if he employs the aid of Christmas stories to hasten the era of peaco aud good will on earth.” BURIAL ALIVE. ‘The Dangers of Too Precipitate Intera ment, From the New York Tipnes. A paragraph appeared in onr impression of Jan, 1 in reference to sn extraordinary circum- stunce reported to have lately oceurred in Mis- souri, where & child was rescued from being baried alive when actually in its cofiin and on the way to the cemeterr. Justayearagoa dreadful discovery, reported in the Ottawa Cili- zen, drow Bitention anew to this subject. For 8omo time the work of removing bodies from an old to a mew Roman Catholic Cemetery had been in progress. In tho course of the process tha | 1id of « coftin came off. It proved to be that of an uncle of the gentleman who was* superin- tending the removal, and the contents presented a terrible spectacla, *The miserable occupant had evidently lived in it. His face was con- torted into an agovized expression; the arms were drawn up as far as tho coffin wonld admit, and the head was twisted rofind to theshoulders, which apparently hed been guawed by the wretchod man himself.” This apprehension of being buried alivo Lias been the bugbear of many cminent men. Prescott, the historian, left in- structioos, which were carcfully carried out, that hig jugnlar vein should bs severed, and. on the | occasion of Lord Lytton’s death, we read in the | London Times sbout that date: ‘“The cofin | haa been made, but the body was rot placed in | it in consequence of a carious injunction con- tained in o paper which, on his Lordship’s death, came ioto the-bands of his legal representatives. According to this, e stipulates that after death, or presumed death, us body shall be allowed to remain threo days on the bed, where he may be untouched; aftor which medical men are to ex- amine bim to ascertain that he is really @dead, and if so to certuify accordingly.” This subject , bas excited so much - tention on " the Continent s almost to produce s literature of its own. “It is not to-day for the first time,” says. Dr. Josat, writing in 1854, “that too promp:_interment begine to roceive sttention, This sad subject bas, on the coutrary. been n theme of meditztion to every true friend of humanity. But all. or nearly alf, have confined themselves to drawing a mgfium picture of instances ‘in which premature burials have cccurred, without troubhing themeelves about the means by which such drezdful events may be avoided.” It appears that in France a physician of the Anglo-Saxon name of Winslow was the first who gave earnest attention to pre- ventive methods, and the circumstance that he had himself on two_occagions narrowly escaped barial slive, naturally served to stipiulate this gentleman's effoits. He was followad by several of his countrymen in works on the same subject. In Germany aclion was finst taken in the matter by the celebrated Hufeland. 1o whom may mainly he attributed the mortuary reguiations now exist- ing in that country. Weimar, his nativo Stace, wa easily induced to accopt his projects of ra- form, and Muuich was not slow to foilow. About 1823, the autharities of Fruukfort-on- Main began to pay great altention to this sub- jeet. With this end, the following arrangeraents were mado: On each side of a vast chamber called the watch-saloon, arranged in order down its lepyth, are eight glass frames correspondin t0 24 wany celi-like partitions, thetloor of whicl is lower Ly about & metre than the floor of the ealoon. Above each frame, which is numbered, one sees o bell; it i8 an alarm-bell. This bell commaunicates with the interior of the cell by & cylinder croasing the partition. It is sct in mo- tion by a weight, relatively vory heavs, which iy held by a sort of little bolt, of which the trig- ger or catch is of tho utmost sensitiveness. To the fizzers of the corpee are fitted a gort of thimbles, connected with the alarum 1 such s way that on the very slightest movemeunt the alarm-msennery, which is of the most delicate and sovsitive description, would feel the touch, and the alarm would bo given. When the cell is well warmed sad light- ed, and everything in order, the cofiin is placed Gpon the trestles, with the head on the eame side as the door, and consequently opposite tho window, which can be looiied through trom the waich saloon. When the corpse has been strelcbod on its bier, s on abed, tho bands are laid side by side on & little board placed across the region of the stomach. They thea proceed to apply the apparatus, after having first tried it soverul timea ; each finger is fitted with o corre- sponding thimble, and the hand is then extended ugoun the board. In the watch chamber ie estab- lished the controller, to insure whose consisot watchfniness neither bed, table, nor chair are allowed him, and whose attanlion is further secured by his being obligad every half bonr to move fo a_sort of indicator which, in case of his omitting to attend to i, would by a clever system of mechanism reveal his nsglect. Imusediately outside the watch chamber and porallel with it are two spacious paseages, into which all taa mortuary cells open. Thoappliances for warming and ventilating them are deacribed as perfect. Let us suppose, says a describer, for argument’s #ake, a resunection.: the slightest movement of the fingers of the supposed corpse would make itself felt upon tho thimble, which in turn tells upon the thread which communicates with the bell. This alarm the watchman, who - stantly summons tha physician, who hasteos to thio cel, carries the patient into the ** chamber ot vivification,” and administers the necessery reatoratives. Everything that humean care and ingenuity ean devige 18 here in caso of acci- dents ; o much 8o, indeed, thab it really sesms almost disappointing to learn that the bell has ouly once, we understand, been rung. Within three days those signs of decomposition gen- erally mske their appearance which aro sceepted aw the infalible indications of deatl. Nevertueless, insiances have oc- curted of ruch indications = being much longer delayed, Iu the summer of 1810 a young girl died in France of plenro-paenmonia, who, atter an exposure of eight days, during the extremo heat of that season, continued in = staio of perfect preservation ; in fact, every symptom about ber favored the delusion of 2 death-like swoou, and er parents would Dot hear tho ides of ber.burial, it was not ugsil tbe nioth duy thac the fact of death revealed iteelf by unmis- takable eigns. This very year a case sumewbhat of the kind occurred in this conntry. Heroisa current newspaper extract relating to it; WESTMINSTER, Md,, Avg, 28.—In the case of the young man Mathias, 2aid 10 have died, but was Sup- Posed o have revived, thero seems Lo hé no hopo Lt Bo Lasreally come 10 life, Tho sppearsnc of bis skin led to o diffezence of opitfon among the Phy: cinzs un to his dexth, and this Jed toa posiponemient of the funerzl, Tre body Eas o perfectly naaral appesr- ance, and up to last evening no decomposition Liad been' noticeable, Ob pressing the lips wth the fingar they turn white, zad on removing the fiuger they re- sutio thelr natural color, The general impression s, however, that he s dead. It isnot witbout & shudder suys 3. Thomaseon, anotber French: writer on thus subject. thar T bave read the_accouut of 1. Hecquet, Surgeon- Major of the Military Hospital, al Duukick. in zeference to the statc of a corpse. Ho eays “As 1 opened the coflins, one after another, my eves fell upon & corpac still in its entire state, Iying npon the right ide; the Lead and ki Deut, z0d pushing the right plap! bnttocis and Leels wers presecd az. e They told me that the corpse had besn buried about eight years. Itw position uatmelly invit- ed the coaviciion that it had been placed in the coffin while in a tate of letharyy; thet awaken- ing from this condition it bad struggled, snd that dezth had overtaken it in the mudst of theso frantic efforts. Thierry, another Erench writer, condemns in the etrongest manuer the too a‘?epdy Bwials practiced v Lis day in Paris, and thinks that it ouziit to be obligatory on all families fo expose their dead for at lewst thirty hours. He empharizes especially the indecen: baste with which, in farmshed spartments, strasgers are got xid of, und mentiops o caso iv which a man whowaswalking in the streots between 10and 11 one morning, being ostencibly dead at nocn, though without apparent diseasc. was actaally Turied that seme evening! He bad even kmown of the case cf a man in humble life who, seizcd with az epileptic fit, and being supposed to have died of it, wes carried to the cemetery, and forihwith interred. 2 Too precipitate burial often occerain the case of persons whose desth is sl:{;pueed to have been occasioned by a sudden shack. On mora thian one occagion clectricity or galvanism has eerved to rekindle the sperk of life. Thus, 2 boy wlio feil from the second story of s build- ing intc the court below, was picked up dead. On_ex:mination no trace of external violence could by found. A surgeon wis promptly swa- | other coses ; there was moned, and as prompily probounszd the boy dead. Deing taken bome, it was somebods’s Lappy thougl: that an elcctricLeitery ekonld be d to him. This wasdoue, and st the fousth 'k signs of lifo appeared, and ulimatals the cbild recovered. Iu the dnnual gister for 1809, the cate is mentioned of & woman nhamed Prosser. She bad long teen seriou:ly ill, and was Jately supposed by the perzons ia atfeuds ance to have died. The body was Isid out by & woman usnally emploved in sach operations, who, on returning to the house about six hensz afterwarG, observed. that the position of ike bands had been altered. and concluded that vis- itors hed been in thazoom. But on going te close tho mouth, sho was 50 awestrack by the suppssed corpso exclaiming, - Do not close my mouth, for X am not quito dead,” that sho fel! into a fit. The sick person subieaneatly recov erad go as to be able to sit up in her roow, ané to tell how she heard all the couversation which passed relative to Ler funeral, but from extreze weakness bad mot the power of speech or mo- tion. On the i3th February, some twenty-five years ago, 3 letter was read ut the Acadomy of Sei- ences, in Paris, from M. 3zuzi, Professor in the Tniversity of Rowe, in whick ho_ proposed to give funds for a special prize of 1.300 francs, 35 a reward for o paper on apparent death and the eaus of remedving it. The Academy accopted the offer, and proposed for the subject of a prize tho following questions : Fint, Waat ars the distinetive characteristics of apparent death ? Second, What are the meaus of preventing pre- mature bwial > They failed, however, to get esaavs which they deemed woribhy of the prize uatil 1846, At lengsh.a successtul essay was produced by . Bouchut, and the fact of ail others to whick ho directed attention was that the criterion in all cases between real and ap- parent death was that in the latter case theheart never ceaged to beat, Even in the most pro- found swoou, with loss of sensibility and of movement, 3. Bouchut avers thac pul- sation does not ceate. In support of thig opinion he cited the case of 3 man who, by reason of a wound of the redisl actery, experienced iu a shott time meay frightfol faint- \ing fit. Gtterly inscoeible, and apparently in- capable of being affected by stimuw:ants, he lay ccld and white as marble, His pulse failed, and to the band the beating of his heart was 1m-~ erceptible, but to tho ear it was sudible st ong inervale. AL Bouchut foand the sawe in beating of ‘the heart ‘mor= or less weak, sometimes reduced to twanty oroven fifteen beats m the minute. Bat in every case of sypcops produced by excessmive bemorrhago then beatings uf the heart could be ewsily bexd, and promised to be the main ground of differenco betwcon apparent and real death. Of courve the probability of & ureadful incident of this kind occursing i» far less in a conniry such as England, where the dead sre scarcely ever buried in leds than five days alter death,” then here. It is in_ countriss where speedy burial is demanded thaz tho utmost vigilance is requisits. It was on this account that doctors, although they useally dif- {er, seem agreed that the horrible paygs of suf- fering must be brought to_au exd by sufoeation within 2 very brief period, and the contdrtions which are esidto have be»n observedin the case of cerlain corpses were, if the rosult of burial alive, the work of a very few momcats. Opening - the jucalar vein scems rather too severe o test, becalse, if the patient really be ‘Dot dead, it would probably very soon mak 50. Whether from appreLeusion, or 38 a matter of sentimeat. the first Murquis of Hestings, the well-known Governor Geueral of India, ordered his right hand to be cut oiX and preserved, to be placed in Lis wife's coffiu at her intérment. . But & right hand is too much of s good thing to run tha risk of losivg. - Most of_us, however, woulé sooer jeopardize our listle Guger than beburied slive, and weimagina that our physical Lehavior atter parting with that member would afforé pretty good proof of our condition. What test Lord Lytton underwent we have not heard. ————— p The Buginning of the Year. From wiw York: Evenig Port, 1t was a curious cireumstance, with which our readers oy not all bo fumiliar, that origiually determined that the boginting of the rearshoula be the Ist of January. It seems odd to begio the year in mid-winter, cspecially. na thore ie notliing in the Leuvens or ou the eartii to mark that 2y & natural pomi o recken from. The soletices and equinoxes, as open to obeorvatior and a8 periodically recurring, wero noticed and marked with more or lets accuracy even in the earliest times ; and, accordingly, most of the Oriental natious began theiryear at the aatumo- al equinox, as the Jews also did as to tieir civid yesr, though their ecclesiassieal year they dazsd Trom tle verncl oquisox ; the Mexicans 0o be- gan their year at the vernal equinox. Al the Sncient northern nations of Evrope, azd the Fe- ruviana of South America, commenced the year with the winter solstice, and ro did the emly Greel:s and Romaps ; the Greela, however, sub- sequently chancad to the summer solstico, and tle Romany, nnder s military exigency to be mentioned i 3 moment, adopted. in the vear 155 B. C., an ordinance which theresfter marked fox them, aud still marks for ue, an artificial tims for New Year's. 5 In that year there was & serioua revolt sgeinst the dominion of Rome wilhin tio zo-callod Spanish provinces. The Lusitanians, ancestort of the present Portaguese, auc the Vetiones, a tribe_of Central Spain, makivg common catse together, defeated two Roman Goversors, | murched at will over the peinsula,and pil- { luged even in the ncighborhoud of the Bomac capitsl in Spain, pow Cartagens. . The Ro- mans at home took these events ro seriously 25 to resolve on scnding o Comeul to Spam, astep that had not before been ceemed nec- cseary for more than forty years; and, io order to hasten the doparture of the military, they even decreed that the Consuls for the year should enter office two months and a half before the legal time. The Consuliwereslways elocted in the fall, at the close of the miiitary year, but tlie day for their entering upon office lad loug been the 15th of Ilaren, near the verual equinox, the time when military campaigns were wont tc begin; but at this_time and for this reason the day for their eutering upon offico wuas shifted from the 15th of March to tho 1st of January ; and thus was sccidentally established, as it were, the beginning of the $ear which_ we still make nse of at the present dog, Julins Casar long afterwards reformed the caleudar, in very essen- tial reapects, but he did not disturb” the Login- ping of the year, which romaized for’ tbe Tumans, and consequentlsy for all nations and all azes, whera tho exigencies of a Spanish re- volt had once placed it a contury and a half be- fora Christ. IR, IS e ‘The Nut-Cracler, % * Once thers came along our way & man who made his livicg by makng bew. Ho waen's like Mark Twain's Lero, who wouid bet on any- tuing from = jumping frog i0 a wall-eyed Lerse, but had a specialty, wlich he wasn't slow in advaucing wherever Le weat. is apecialty was erseking nutd, and bo styled lunizel! in the bills of the show “*The Grea! Arkineaw Nut-Crack- er.” Mo would lay around taverns iouee, =nd when o ot of fellers got talking sround the stove about what they conld do, he'd Legin to Llow. No maiter what the subject was, Le could alwaya coatrive to lead’ em oif on tho snb- ject of cracking nuts, which was apparcotly ki ktromg hold, Ihs name . was Simmune—Lowis Simmins, Oue day when Simmius, abont what ho conld do, had got ‘em_pretty excited, tho landlord Le put in Lis car, sud says Loz 4 *TU tell you what it is, bose, what this i ticmau claims may Le all very wrue, and I d: doubi ke cau crack as mavy nuts a3 o eayzs, in agiven tine. Bus there's mf' patlic Lell up here, justnow vacant, and I'lf loun Lim tho vse of it, and 1 don't micd Lettivg a lovel bundred qollars be czn't crack s bupdied double-brezated Englisk: waluuts as I'll provide for hia ia ca reconds.” * It's o go,” eaid Lew. 2 Well, the moaey was blanked, and when night cemo there stood Lew before a big sudience, dressed in a pair of f2ncy bathing dawers, with a fillet of gold paper round lis hesd, and 100 Eoglish waluuts on a table before lim. Tue massic tooted up, and be siaréed,.and for a time tho sliells flcw 1n_overy diroction quite liveiy ; but all at once Lew’s jaws clcsed down on & rouser, and refused to Gpen, and the spectators srere surprisod to zea Lew hopping and twistiug in ol sorw of coatortiows abant tho stage to burried music. The intriguing landlord bad gone sed stuffed oze of the waluuts with a.mess of solt waz, and Leyw could no more get his jawa cpea tkags if they bad becu bolted and riveted. He didw't win that maney.—Exciange. Sxa g in Zowva. " The Jasper County Libiral savs the mining discoveries of D:. Adams, of Nuwios. aro no louger 8 ecres. [ must be neaily a year since :L:o Doctor dincovered gold deposita on the land of 3Mr. Trussel, ten miles northwest of Newton, in Sherman Touabip. The precious metal was found both in quartz and in tue wash. aad the cozo of speciinen obtaived kave been pro- pounced pure gold. Dr. Adams kays be hius submitted his specimens to- msruyists at Jows City and Davenport, and thst they prouonnce them all rigat. Ho has tharefore sasociaied with him 2 compaay of old minerw, wbetly livinz * 2t present in Illinos and other States, aud thoy propose iu the spring to go to muaicg in good earnest. Tuoraisalso eaid fo be a vein of lead; with a breadih of 100 feet 80 (ar ascertained; the secrat of the location of which the Doctot is not 78; prepured to divulza.